Turkey Completes Restoration of Mahmoud of Ghazni’s Tomb in Afghanistan

The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Kabul announced on Wednesday, November 25, that the restoration of the mausoleum complex of Sultan Mahmoud of Ghazni in the historic province of Ghazni has been completed, and the site was officially inaugurated on Tuesday.

According to the embassy, the restoration project was carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). The ceremony was attended by several Taliban officials, including the deputy of the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, as well as the group’s appointed governor of Ghazni.

TIKA is one of the development agencies of the Turkish government and has implemented various technical, cultural, and development projects in Afghanistan in recent years. The restoration of the tomb of the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty is seen as a step toward preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage, which faces the risk of deterioration amid the Taliban’s lack of attention and the absence of transparency in managing historical sites.

Residents of Ghazni, a province with a rich legacy in Islamic history, have repeatedly called on responsible bodies to give greater attention to the preservation and restoration of historical monuments. However, given the current circumstances and the diminished role of independent cultural institutions, much of the hope now lies in foreign assistance.